SunDEC is Dunn Energy Cooperative's 100kW Community Solar array. The array is located southeast of Menomonie on 370th Avenue in the Town of Dunn. SunDEC went into operation in February of 2017 and is built on the same site as the Dairyland Power Cooperative 1 Megawatt solar array.
How to read the solar production graph below
Along the left side of the graph there are 5 black boxes:
POWER: This is the current output of the solar system. The kW Power will change, sometimes minute by minute. This number depends on how much sunshine or cloud cover there is and the overall performance of the array.
TODAY: This shows how many kWh’s have been produced by the community solar array today. You can click at the top of the page to see a graph of today, 5-day, week, month, year, or lifetime energy production.
THIS MONTH: This shows how many mWh’s have been produced by the community solar array this month.
THIS YEAR: This shows how many mWh’s have been produced by the community solar array this calendar year.
LIFETIME: This is a summary of all the energy produced from the community solar array minus the energy used to operate the system. If the solar field is not producing any energy it may need to draw power from the grid to run the tracking system and inverters.
Along the bottom of the graph you will see:
SYSTEM SIZE: It shows a 123 kW system. Keep in mind that solar power is produced in DC (direct current) but energy is consumed in our homes in AC (alternating current). So to get the 100 kW AC system output we wanted, we needed to build the system at about 123 kW DC size.
OPERATING SINCE: 11/8/16. This was when the system was initially energized. Official commercial operation began on 2/14/17 after all safety procedures were put in place and the testing was completed.
Along the right side of the graph you will see:
OUR IMPACT: This will scroll automatically on the side of the page for the month or the lifetime of the system. You can toggle between the two lists. This shows us what producing electric energy locally from solar has saved us compared to using conventional fossil fuels.
Now, the question you might have is, “Great! Now, how do I know how much is mine?”
There are 400 subscription units in the community solar array. To calculate how much energy is in your portion, the first step is to divide the number of units you purchased by the 400 total. So for example if you purchased the output from one unit, you would divide 1/400 which is .003 or .3%. If you purchased four units, divide 4/100 which is .010 or 1%. You take those numbers multiplied by the output for the day, week, or month to calculate what your share of the solar unit is. This energy will also appear on your monthly energy bill as a credit.
If you are a member of the cooperative and interested in purchasing the output of our community solar array, please call the office at 715-232-6240 and ask for Jesse. The cost of a unit is prorated based on how many months are left in the contract for production. The contract ends on January 31, 2042.
Dunn Energy is proud to offer incentives on installation of member-owned renewable energy projects and electric vehicle charging stations. If you have questions, please call Chris at the office to discuss details and how to get started.
Renewable Energy Grant/Rate Incentive
- Incentive will be paid out at $50 per installed kW of the system up to $500 max (i.e. 4kW=$200 - 10kW=$500)
- Member will have six (6) months from the date issued to use the grant
- Funds will not be paid until project completion
- Funds cannot exceed 25% of the project cost
- Member should complete a renewable energy site assessment through a certified professional before applying for the grant
- Systems must be wind, solar, or biomass and used for electricity production
- Systems must follow all rules and regulations set forth in Dunn Energy Cooperative policy and PSC rule 119 for interconnected renewable energy electric generation
- Dunn reserves the right to award no grants, at its discretion, if the projects do not meet the above guidelines
Controlled Electric Vehicle Charging Station
- Incentive is $400 paid to member
Please click on the production graphic to see real-time energy production at SunDEC Community Solar
Evergreen: 20 years of Renewable Energy for Your Lifestyle
Setting goals to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy isn’t a concept that was recently dreamed up in the conference rooms of Google, Apple, or IKEA. Dunn Energy Cooperative’s members have had access to renewable energy since 1998 through the Evergreen program
Evergreen was developed to provide members an opportunity to voluntarily contribute to the increased use of renewable energy sources without the financial burden of installing their own larger system. Starting at $1 per month, a member is assigned one Evergreen block of 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean, renewable energy. Evergreen will appear as a line item on the participating member’s monthly electric bill.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Evergreen, Dunn Energy members have more opportunities to participate in ways that fit their lifestyle or budget.
Evergreen Everyone: Members can support renewable energy in increments of 100 kilowatt-hour (kWh) blocks for just $1 per block per month ($0.01 per kWh).
Evergreen Everyday: Members who enroll in a storage strategy for their electric water heater will receive up to four Evergreen blocks to help keep their water hot.
Evergreen Everywhere: Members who charge their electric vehicle during off-peak hours will receive up to four Evergreen blocks.
Evergreen Everything: Being 100 percent powered by renewable energy isn’t just for large corporations. Through Evergreen Everything, members can choose to have 100 percent of their electricity use generated by renewable energy for $1 per 100 kWh block. The average cooperative home uses around 1,000 kWh per month, which equals $10 per month to be a green home.
Each Evergreen block is tracked monthly and reinforces that Evergreen is for all members who want to do more to increase the use of renewable energy sources. Evergreen subscriptions are in addition to any federal or state required renewable portfolio standards. Currently, renewable energy makes up 18 percent of Dairyland Power Cooperative’s generation portfolio, which includes solar, wind, hydro, and biogas. Dairyland is your cooperative’s wholesale power provider.